Ward to Redemption
by SwingDancer
Summary: Story written w/support of skyewardfitzsimmonsphilinda. AU Skye has been kidnapped by Hydra, and the question is who is going to save her? SHIELD goes to him for information, but instead make a deal. What truths are going to come out, is Ward prepared for what he will find on the road to redemption? Will it be the woman he loves? His honor and dignity restored? READ and REVIEW PLS


The Ward to Redemption

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Agents of SHIELD if I did, Grant Ward would have NEVER betrayed SHEILD, and would the hero of every episode! On that note, I would like to say that WE the fans of Agent Grant Douglas Ward, need to stand up NOW and have our voices heard, the show is deciding whether to redeem Ward or have him continue to be a villain. Stand up use social media #STANDWITHWARD

I have to give a HUGE shout to skyewardfitzsimmonsphilinda for giving me the strength and support to write. PLEASE Check out our story "Where I fell", we also have some great stuff coming up

But hey, anybody and everybody is free to drop me a line with ideas or collaborations...Bring on the Ward Redemption

Now on to our regular fan fiction broadcast

"I don't know"

"Well Now you have the rest of your life to think about it...

Coulson's word's echoed through the mind of Grant Ward. once level 7 specialist for the Agents of SHIELD, while being a slave to HYDRA, now he was a prisoner locked away in a maximum security prison staring in to the blank walls of his barren cell. Wearing dark blue prison scrubs, Ward was alone with his thoughts, with nothing but a small cot and minimal amenities. Once in a while the guards would open up his cell door, to take him to the bathroom to re leave himself and to shower. But not before subjecting him to further humiliation. The bruises on his body were some of the lessons he had learned early on during his imprisonment, of what was expected of him. When the door was unlocked he was required to get on his knees, spread them apart and put his hands behind his head. If he even flinched under the guards' watch, they would back hand him, and leave him...until next time. Once the guards cuff him and lead him to the shower, he would only have 15 minutes to take an ice cold shower wash his face, brush his teeth, put on a new pair of dark blue scrubs...and than be ceremoniously dumped back into his cell. Cold, Wet, and worse of all alone...without a blanket or heat to keep him warm he dreams of the only person that ever made him feel warmth and love

Skye

Just the thought of her gave him hope in his dark world. She made him feel warm. Her kiss, her touch, her love...Ward focused on trying to remember her laugh but all he could think about was the look of hurt and anger on her face when she discovered his betrayal. When he was cuffed and led away he tried to explain but she would not listen, she was angry and she told him how much she hated him. Life with Garrett had left him empty inside, but Skye brought light into his life. But hearing her say that he was a monster and she never loved him, and that he didn't deserve love... hurt him more than any battle wound ever could it killed him to be without Skye. A life sentience without Skyes love was worse than any g-d forsaken prison cell Coulson could ever lock him in.

Inhale exhale

A lone tear fell from Wards eyes, he wiped it away and curled up into a little ball, trying to remember what it felt like to loved and warm.

BAM

The door to Wards cell burst open, enter three very big SHIELD agents, the noise startled Ward to get up off of his cot.

"I have already told you everything"

The guards roughly, violently seized Ward to his feet and cuffed his hands behind his back in electric asguardian cuffs.

"What are you doing" Ward struggled under their forceful grip on him. One of the guards put a piece of duct tape over Wards lips muffling his cries for help and put a black hood over his head. Ward struggled even harder but it was as no use. The guards had a strong grip on him and were dragging him out of his cell by force.

Ward tried to remember his SHIELD training, by using his instincts to determine who his captors were, what they wanted with him, and where they were taking him. But this was not a mission and he was no longer an agent of SHIELD. No one was coming to his rescue. Where were they taking him? What did they want with him? Were they really SHIELD or could they be …..Hydra? A small faction that could be hell bent on vengeance for turning against Garrett and shooting him at the last possible minute before he could hurt Skye...

Ward continued to to struggle, his bare feet stalling, stomping kicking his captors, anything he could do to delay the inevitable...what if this was it?

What if they were leading him off to his execution? After everything that had he done, SHIELD had decided that he was too dangerous to let him live...was this all there was to life?

NO! He was not going to die, not like this, knowing that Skye still hatted him, that Fitz was hurt, and that he never got the chance to beg for his forgiveness...or to give him a monkey.

A heavy door opened and breeze of fresh air flooded Ward's senses...he stopped struggling...The guards forced him outside without much resistance.

Fresh air,, warm sun on his skin, it had been so long since he had seen the light of day. Ward longed for just a little more, at least take off the hood and let him have one last glimpse of daylight...but no it was not to be

The guards threw him in to the back of a van, and duct taped his ankles together in an attempt to stop him from thrashing.

The van drove off, Ward was on the floor of the fighting, still thrashing, trying to break free, when accidentally kicked one of his captors.

"Cut it out you piece of shit" and then kicked Ward in the stomach very hard.

He stopped thrashing and stayed perfectly still. Lying on the floor of the van had its advantage, Ward could feel how fast the van was driving, how long, and which direction it was going. An old trick he picked up when he was captured in Belarus on a supposed 'routine' SHIELD reconnaissance mission.

The van made a sudden stop. Ward began to panic, he was no closer to freeing himself from his restraints and he had no idea where he was.

The guards pulled him from the van and dragged him inside a dark facility. Yet something about this place felt familiar to Ward.

The ground was tread, he could hear airplanes, voices, in the distance...but nothing close enough

The guards opened a door to an interrogation room and pulled Ward inside. The guards forced him to sit down in the steel chair that was bolted to the ground. Ward's wrists were re-shackled behind him and his ankles were locked into to the legs of the chair. They removed the hood from his head to reveal...

Agent Melinda May and Director Coulson

Ward's eyes grew wide at the sight of his former team leaders, he had not seen them since he had been taken off of the bus in cuffs.

He had told them everything he knew about Hydra, although his knowledge was limited, thanks to Garrett keeping him in the dark about his true diabolical plan. But even so, Ward did not withhold any information from SHIELD once he had been arrested.

May was furious, she has never and would never question Director Coulson, but to bring this traitor here, and to bring him in on an official highly classified SHIELD mission after everything he had done...well Needless to say she was not happy, and she was going to show Ward, just how unhappy she was with him.

May ripped the duct tape off of Ward's lips, and showed him her mean right hook.

"Ahh" May had hit him, hard and now left him a dark bruise on his left cheek. The restraints kept him from defending himself. Ward did not hesitate to turn his head to face them again, knowing that another beating was coming.

Coulson did nothing to stop her , which did not go unnoticed by Ward. He dropped his head in defeat, condemning himself to intensive interrogation that he was about to face.

He wanted to ask how Skye was, how Fitz was doing, but he knew that would only make things worse. They must hate him, and he would not blame them.

Ward wanted May to beat the crap out of him already so that she could feel better, Coulson, could feel better. Everyone would feel better, but him he would still feel empty inside.

Couslon never broke his steel eyed stare with Ward. There were so many emotions anger, hurt, betrayal, yet there was part of him deep down, that wanted to know the truth, and wanted to forgive Ward and give him a second chance. But all he had to do was look at May and remember why they were here, and those feelings vanished in a heartbeat.

"Where is She?" Couslon's booming voice broke the silence in the room and caught Ward's attention.

"Where is who?" "I have told you everything, that I know about Hydra, Garrett kept me in the dark about everything that he was doing internally at SHEILD and what he was doing to his test subjects. I had no idea that he was hurting people"

"I don't believe you" May was angry and her cold stance showed no sympathy to Ward.

Ward inhaled and exhaled and dropped his head in defeat. "It's the truth, I have told you everything, and you didn't even have to beat it out of me"

Ward didn't even flinch, when he vented his pent up anger and frustration when he looked May knowing that she was about to him again. The threat of more beatings and abuse did not phase him anymore.

"Who are you looking for Raina?" I have no idea where she is, she ran off after I killed Garrett for going after...?"

Couslon was not going to stand for this anymore, he walked forward and SLAMMED his fist into the table in front of Ward

"WHERE IS SKYE?"

Ward stopped what he was saying and starred Coulson in the eyes. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHERE IS SKYE?" 

"We were hoping you could tell us" Coulson continued his icy glare at Ward, if getting Skye back meant that he had standby and watch May rip Ward limb from limb, he would allow it.

Ward struggled against his restraints, but it was in vain

"What do you mean, where is Skye, you were supposed to be protecting her, keeping her safe." The fear and vulnerability in Ward's voice were clear. But like night to day the tone in his voice changed

"How could you let something happen to her" He replied, with anger and venom in his voice.

Couslon saw something in Ward's eyes, genuine concern. Even though he was a traitor, everything he ever told them was a lie, there was no way that he actually cared for Skye...right?

"That's rich coming from you, you betrayed all of his and sold SHIELD out to Hyrda, what did you think was going to happen to Skye, if Hydra had won" May was not buying Ward's act for a minute, he was and always will be a liar.

"I would never let ANYTHING, happen to Skye"

Couslon interjected " If Skye was safe and off limits than how does that explain what happened to FitzSimmons, try explaining that Fitz right now"

Ward was generally concerned for Fitz, "How is he? Garrett was going to kill them, the pod was supposed to float, I did not know that it would malfunction, Please tell me how he is doing?" Ward asked with fear in his voice, scared to hear the answer to the question that he had tossed and turned in his cell for hours, days at end, torturing himself for the answer.

May refused to play this game "That is none of your concern, now tell us what you know or go back to your cell"

Coulson, looked Ward in the eyes, if he felt remorse for his actions, he wanted to know how sorry he has and how ready he was to face the consequences of his actions. "Fitz woke up a few days ago, he has a ways to go, but the doctors are convinced that he is going to be OK"

Ward breathed a sigh of relief, as if a heavy weight had been lifted off of his chest.

"What about Skye, what happened to Skye?"

Coulson, thought back to that day, his own guilt stayed with him how could they not know it was a trap. "There had been a report of 'unexplained activity' in area so we responded, when we were ambushed, by HYRDA agents. They came out of nowhere and took Skye and flew off before we could get off the plane."

Ward could not believe something like that could happen, Hydra was supposed to be gone, so who is leading them, and worse what do they want?

"We were hoping you could tell us who was in charge or what they want her for, given that the project 0-84 has been destroyed."

"If I knew I would have told you before..."

May wanted to toy with Ward's mind "See I think your still hiding something, I don't think you really care about Skye or any of us, and this is just a way to pass the time until your Hydra buddies give you your jail break"

"THAT IS NOT TRUE" Ward struggled even harder against the asgardian cuffs that bound his wrists behind the back of the chair he was shackled to, but it seems that the harder he struggled the tighter the became. They were truly unbreakable.

"I would do anything for Skye"

"Then why did you betray us" Coulson, asked, he needed to know, he had to know.

Ward had asked himself that question, when he was working for Hydra it felt as though he had no control to stop what was happening, if he could he would have. "I don't know..."

May did not believe him, "You never loved her, you are inhuman and incapable of being loved by anyone"

That was it, May had struck a chord

"I WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR SKYE, I WOULD DIE FOR HER"

Coulson put his palms flat on the steel table that was in front of Ward and looked Ward right into the eyes. "Than save her now"

Ward did not hesitate for a minute "Just tell me what I have to do, I will do anything to save her"

"We need to you to go back in deep into to the heart of Hydra, and get Skye back"

"I'll do it" Ward did not think twice about how dangerous this was or that he would be killed if he was discovered to be a spy for SHIELD. "But everyone knows that I was caught, and imprisoned for working for Hydra. Those guys are animals, they are not going to believe for one second that I somehow escaped captivity without being suspicious."

"Yeah about that..." What was Coulson hiding?

"No one outside the team, myself, and director Fury knows that you were discovered to be an Agent of Hydra and were arrested for your crimes." Ward looked really shocked by that. "No one else knows that you have been compromised"

"But wait what about, the other agents, how..."

Couslon was rather proud of himself, even if it was for a short moment "We have kept the lines of communication open. You could reconnect with the channels of communication that Hydra had between their remaining factions so that SHIELD could observe them, learn from them, and than take them out without alerting the others that they were on to them."

This was so crazy that it just might work

May would not have his "Director Coulson, I cannot let you do this, nor do you have the authorization to do this, Director Fury would never allow it"

Ward was not going to let his one chance of redemption slip through this fingers. "What choice do you have, if Hydra is really behind this, and if its true that my 'cover' has not been blown, than I am the only person who can save Skye"

The door burst open enter Director Fury, "Frankly PRISONER Ward, I do not trust you not to turn and run back to the commanding throne of Hydra that is waiting for you now that Garrett is dead."

Ward pulled on his restraints, "I would never work for Hydra again, that was the biggest mistake of my life, the one I regret the most"

May was relieved that Director Fury was here to stop Couslon from making a big mistake. Sometimes she felt that Coulson was too gentle and forgiving.

"Frankly, Director Fury, we do not have any other options, as much as I do not like it, we have to use PRISONER Ward to get into the heart of Hydra to save Skye"

"Absolutely not, there is always another option" Fury, May, and Coulson began to argue amongst themselves about what was in Skye and SHIELDS best interest

_WE ARE WASTING TIME! _

Ward could not go back to his cell, not now, not when Skye was in trouble, he would do anything to get her back.

"I swear to you on my life that I will bring Skye home safe, if I FAIL, than I waive my right to order 0-56." May, Coulson, and Fury stopped bickering immediately, and looked at Ward.

Coulson could not believe what he was hearing, "Ward do you know what your asking for?"

Ward swallowed any fear he had and gave a strong response to Director Coulson "Yes, I know what I am asking for, all I ask for is the chance to save her and make peace with what I have done"

"Mr. Ward, Order 0-56 is no laughing matter nor is it something to be taken lightly. It is an order that an agent gives to SHEILD to kill that agent on sight for fear that their mission may be compromised or that information may fall into the wrong hands. Your essentially asking us to kill you, execute you. Your signing your own death warrent" Fury had never seen agent invoke order 0-56. Than again Ward was not an agent anymore.

"I know what I am asking for, what choice do we have, if we don't act quickly, I...we could lose Skye forever. Either way, May gets her wish, she can kill me the second Skye is safe. I will get down on my knee, put my hands behind my back and May or whoever can shot me on sight"

Even while describing his own death, Ward's voice did not tremble or break. He was prepared to die for Skye.

Fury and May were sold on the plan, either way they won, but Coulson refused to condemn Ward to this fate, especially when he was starting to have doubts.

"I can't let you do this Grant" Ward noticed that Coulson called him by his first name and not 'Prisoner Ward'. It made him feel good about himself even if was for just a moment.

"I am proposing a new deal, Grant Douglas Ward, I am sending you on dangerous mission, do you choose to accept the difficult task, despite the perils and dangers that may lie ahead"

"I do" Without a doubt in his mind

"Very well than, if you return with Agent Skye, safe and sound, and in a timely manner, I will grant you a full pardon and freedom to resume a civilian life"

Fury and May were stunned, shocked, jaws on the floor. "You can't be serious, Coulson"

"It is my decision and this is what I have decided, If Ward is to be successful than he has to have something to live for, not to die regardless of the outcome."

"This is ridiculous, myself, and Fury, know that even if he does not return to Hydra, Ward is going to disappear into oblivion

"I won't, I am going to bring Skye home safe"

The battle was lost, May knew that either way Couslon and Fury were going to let Ward go after Skye and that if Coulson had it his way, he would be granted his freedom. But hell if she would let him go, without putting the feat of G-d in him if he should fail. "If you run, there is no where you can hide, I will hunt you down and SLAUGHTER you like the coward you"

"You won't have to, I will not rest until Skye is safe"

"Now that we have the arrangements settled, Can you think of anywhere they could be keeping her, Ward think HARD"

Ward wrecked his brain to try and thing where this new Hydra could possibly be keeping Skye. Somewhere SHIELD would not think to look, or had not checked already, what with Garrett gone, they only had so many...

That is when it hit him.

"There is a base in Germany...

"Why didn't you mention this before" Fury asked with fire in his breath

"Deal's off your holding out on us"

"No its not like that, the base is abandoned, Garrett brought me there first when he...it was where he first..." Ward could not even finish his sentence the memories were too painful.

Coulson knew there was something more to this story, but this was not the time or place to look into it. But he promised himself, that he was going to take a deeper look into the former Agent Garrett and the nature of his true relationship with Grant Ward.

"The base in Germany is isolated, well hidden, and...has containment areas to hold prisoners, if they are holding Skye that is where they are."

May looked between Fury and Coulson, "Let's be serious he has just spent four months locked away in the fridge, he is not in the mental, physical condition to go.

Coulson looked at Ward "What do you have to say about that Ward?"

Ward stood up from the chair he was chained and shackled too, and dropped the cuffs on the table causing the metal to hit the table hard with a loud clank.

Fury and May stood back, maybe a little impressed

Coulson opened the door to the interrogation room inviting Ward to walk through it of his own power. "I think he is ready to go"

"Follow me Agent Ward, it's time to suit up"

_"Agent? _  
It had been a long time since anyone had called him Agent.  
And it was a title he was more than ready to accept again."

Ward looked down at the dark blue prison scrubs he was wearing, down to his bare feet, it was going to take a little more than a clean pair shoes to make him look and _feel_, like an agent again.

Couslon led Ward down a maze of hallways up until they reached a brown door with any markings.

Coulson unlocked the door to reveal a very comfortable room, with a warm plush bed, large windows that sunshine shun through, a dresser with new clothes, and large pristine bathroom.

Ward was speechless.

Ward walked into the room, it was a huge improvement from his own prison hell, and looked so warm and inviting he wanted to rest, his body needed it. But he knew that he had a job to do.

Coulson looked at Ward before exited the room, "Get cleaned up, there are clean clothes in the dresser, but hurry we don't have much time, Skye's life is at stake"

Ward nodded as Coulson shut the door behind him. Ward looked in the mirror for the first time in months and saw a young man who had been broken. The blue prison scrubs, he was wearing were not baggy on him, rather slim fitting. But they could not hid the fact that he had lost a few pounds given, his limited food intake and depression.

But that was gone and over, Ward took off the prison scrubs and threw them in the garbage, knowing no matter what, he would never wear them again. He walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower, he let the water run for a few minutes. Just until it was hot.

While in the shower. The warm water felt so good, the strong pressure eased his sore muscles and really gave him a moment to relax. It had been so long since he had, had a _REAL _shower, in prison, the water was icy cold, and he had been not given any privacy, for the first time in forever he felt _clean. _The warm water could clean his body but not his conscious. He made mistakes and now he needed to make them right. Rescuing Skye was the first step in the road to redemption. It was under the water that Ward remembered Skye, the shampoo and body wash that were in the shower, belonged to Skye'. Grant picked up the body wash which smelled like Eucalyptus and Waterlily...his mind drifted off to happier times

FLASHBACK

_'That is the last time, I am ever calling for backup', Ward said to himself as he trudged back on board the bus after a very long mission that turned into a rescue mission after Fitz chased after a monkey and of course Simmons HAD to go after him. "Next time they want to play National Geographic, they can go to to zoo, NOT the Amazon" _

_He had been beaten, shot, stabbed, and that was all before breakfast. He was in pain and sore. Ward entered the lounge ready to cry out in pain when he saw Skye. _

"_Your hurt" She said staring at him with those beautiful green eyes, he could never say no to._

"_What, no are you kidding, just another day at the office..."_

"_OWW" He cried as she poked his chest _

_Skye looked into Ward's eyes with a look that said 'you have to be kidding me'. "LIAR"_

_She took a deep breath and guided him over to the couch to sit down. _

"_Sit, stay, good boy. I am going to get the first aid kit."_

_Ward really did not need her cleaning him up, he had licked his own wounds when he was kid, and taken care of himself everyday after that. These injuries were nothing compared to others in the past._

_Skye came came with the first aid, she started by taking out the surgical scissors and cutting off Ward's shirt, so that she could see the full extent of his injuries. _

"_Wait, woah, what are you doing and I kind of liked that shirt"_

_Skye just ripped it off, and saw the stab and bullet wound, and the rest of his 'battle scars'. She immediately got to work patching him up and cleaning his wounds._

_Ward just sat there silently, grimacing every once in a while when the disinfectant got just a little to close to an open wound. Her touch was soft and gentle, surely the kindest touch he had ever felt. _

_No one had ever taken the time to take care of him before._

_When she was finished cleaning and dressing his wounds, Skye traced her fingers along Ward's older scars, he could feel her trembling over some of his more defined markings, from a lifetime ago._

_Ward turned and took Skye's hand in his, and looked into her eyes, she was visibly upset after looking at some of his more crueler scars..._

_Skye then placed gentle kisses on all of Ward's scars, new and old to make them all better. _

_Ward hated that Skye had to see him like this so bare, unguarded, without his hero facade, he was suddenly human..._

_Ward stopped her and brought his lips to Skyes deepening their passionate kiss _

_Despite Still being sore from his wounds, Grant picked Skye up in his arms without breaking their kiss, and carried her to his bunk, kicking the door closed. He placed her on the bed, as if she was the most precious package in the entire world. Ward crawled on top of her and together they spent the rest of the night revealing their love for one another. _

Ward opened his eyes and remembered where he was and what his mission in life was to do, to rescue Skye at all costs. That was all that mattered, saving Skye would not undo all that he had done, but it would matter to her, the only person that ever mattered to him.

Ward did not have any faith that SHIELD would uphold their end of the deal, and set him free. He knew that the second Skye was safe, they were going to to kill him on sight.

But that did not frighten him, as long he can save Skye and make amends to her, he could die in peace knowing that she forgave him.

He got out the shower, suited up and grabbed his gear, but before leaving the room, he looked in the mirror. Ward was dressed in his all black SHIELD uniform, his gear, weapons, and most importantly clean, and shaven. He looked like himself, like a hero. Now to complete the image, he needed to rescue his damsel in distress. "Hold on Skye, I am coming"

Ward walked out of the room to stand before Director Coulson and Agent May, he was no longer a prisoner, but a man with strength, pride, and courage. Like the man they once knew and respected before his life went to hell. Coulson opened up a brief case, that contained the latest weapons

"You will need this"

Ward armed him self with all of the weapons, locked and loaded each one to make sure it was battle ready, and loaded them into his gear. Ward then looked at Coulson one more time, exhaling deeply

Coulson held up a box and opened to reveal a nondescript black wristband. Ward looked Coulson in the eyes, "You know that I cannot tracker wear a tracker band. They will recognize the technology, they will find it, and kill us both."

Coulson released a deep breath that he had been holding, knowing that Ward was right.

"Your going to have to let me go and trust me that I am going to bring her home safe and sound"

May shook her hand and pulled out her gun and aimed it at Ward, "There is no way in hell...I am letting you walk out that door, Coulson I told you this was a bad idea, the second you let him go, he is going to run back to his Hydra buddies and than we will never see Skye again"

May turned her head slightly to the left, "Call up the guards, have PRISONER Ward, taken back to his cell in the fridge, and see to it he does not see the light of day again"

Ward shook his head, but did not aim his weapon at May. He was not going to let her stop him from saving Skye, he needn't to save her to tell her he loved her one more time, to beg for her forgiveness. If he did not save Skye now, than no one ever would.

"Coulson, I am begging you, let me go rescue her, we have a deal, win or lose you get to let May kill me, and she can kill me anyway she likes, BUT only after Skye is safe, after that you can do whatever you want with me."

Coulson hates the situation but knows he has no choice, months of search and rescue have let SHEILD with no leads or clues as to Skye's whereabouts. Ward was their last chance to ever see Skye again.

HELL sending Ward back into Hydra was their only plan at this point

"May stand down, go and bring her back or so G-d help you if you fail"

Ward slowly walked away from the both of them, and down the corridor to the hanger where the big boy vehicles were kept. Ward had his pick and of course he choose the sleek black 3 in 1 multipurpose vehicle in sleek Onyx black. Ward put the keys in the ignition, and let the engine roar, climbed in and slammed the door behind him, he threw his gear in the back. And drove off.

"Please hold on Skye, I am coming"

MEANWHILE Somewhere in a lab far away

In an all white room, with bright lights and no windows or doors, Skye sat alone wearing nothing but a thin small white hospital gown, that came up very short given the size of her belly, she kept rubbing her belly as if to reassure her baby-and herself, that someone was going to rescue them. Skye rose to her bare feet and walked to the two-way mirror that was on the far side of her cell and banged on it.

"WHO ARE YOU, WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH ME? LET ME GO!"

Behind the glass two men and a woman in flower dress tell an underling:

"Tell HIM that we have found what he is look for"

NEXT CHAPTER

"Bring me the prisoner"


End file.
